Development and Validation of a Bird Strike Protection System for an Enhanced Adaptive Droop Nose

Abstract

In the frame of IS12 wing integration scenario of the SARISTU project, SONACA was incharge of the development and the validation of bird strike protection systems integrated into an enhanced adaptive droop nose. Numerical simulations were used to elaborate solutions insuring both the downstream actuation (actuator tube) and the spar integrity adding a constraint on system space allocation and converge towards two relevant “iso-mass” concepts: a bird splitter concept and a bird absorber concept. Nonlinear finite elements analyses (NLFEA) using ABAQUS/Explicit were also performed prior the bird strike physical testings to support the test definition and to predict the impact scenario on the structures. With the principal objective to evaluate the efficiency of the bird strike protection systems (BSPS), the bird impact test campaign took place in VZLU test facilities on 21 and 22 April 2015. Three specimens were assembled and subjected to bird impact tests. Two of those specimens were used to compare the behaviour and the efficiency of the splitter and the absorber at “iso-mass” solutions. The third and fourth tests were performed on a representative EADN leading edge structure connected to actuation systems and containing a morphing outer skin in front of a bird strike splitter protection system. Amongst the two investigated BSPS, the bird splitter concept has demonstrated a better efficiency than the bird absorber concept for the assessment of the spar integrity requirement. In a global point of view, except for the bird absorber concept, the test results are in very good agreement with the predicted numerical simulation results. Moreover, all the shots were performed in very good tolerances with no deviations from requirements.